General News
10 March, 2026
On your marks, get set, enter! Energy Breakthrough entries for 2026 open this week
Energy Breakthrough entries open this week, from March 11 to September 18, as schools across the country prepare for the iconic local event.
Students are gearing up for another Energy Breakthrough as entries open for schools this Wednesday.
While most of the year sits between Maryborough and 2026’s Energy Breakthrough, anticipation for the event is in full swing, with entries opening March 11 at 12 pm.
It’s the continuation of a story that began in 1991 when Country Education Partnership and the Central Goldfields Shire Council launched, and continue to run, the event.
Now in its third decade the pedal-powered vehicles, pushcarts, and robotics have become a highlight in the local community’s calendar.
Its longevity means former participants are now bringing their own kids to the event and those who once competed have gone on to become famous names like Formula 1’s Oscar Piastri and Le Tour De France’s Chris Hamilton.
Local councillor and chair of the Energy Breakthrough Governance Committee Liesbeth Long said the event’s staying-power is proof of its success.
“Children are growing up with their parents telling the stories and now their kids are participating,” she said.
“The alumni that have come out of it are just amazing.”
Energy Breakthrough education team leader Nigel Preston said the event helps students become engaged through action.
“There’s a lot to be learned around teamwork, problem solving, and planning for something to go one way but it doesn’t go that way so you have to change on the fly,” he said.
It also challenges views that puts young people in a negative light.
“There’s a lot of negativity about young people ... but this is counter cultural to that,” Mr Preston said.
“This is about young people working together for a common good.”
Considering the events many success stories Cr Long said the event can act as a launching pad for students.
“It just shows you the sky is the limit,” she said.
“Who know where Energy Breakthrough will take you in the end?”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Mr Preston and one he’s seen as a competitor and, now, an organiser.
“I want people to know this is a good thing for young people to engage in,” he said.
“There are some good eggs out there who are doing it.”
This year’s Energy Breakthough will be held on November 18 to 22.
Entries will close on September 18, or when they sell out, whichever is sooner.
Further information on the event, or how to enter, can be found at Energy Breakthrough’s website.